Charge against Aberdeen sheriff accused of sexual misconduct dropped

An Aberdeen sheriff who was charged after an investigation into claims of sexual misconduct will not face criminal proceedings, the Crown Office has said.

Jack Brown was suspended in January after allegations about his behaviour were made to police.

He was arrested and charged several days later.

Police confirmed the accusation was being investigated, and a report was being compiled to pass to the procurator fiscal.

However, the Crown Office has confirmed the charge faced by the 59-year-old has now been dropped.

A spokesman said the decision followed a “full and careful consideration” of the facts of the case.

He added: “The Procurator Fiscal deals with every case on its own individual facts and circumstances and will take action where there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to do so.

“Following full and careful consideration of the facts and circumstances of this case, Crown Counsel instructed that there should be no criminal proceedings at this time.”

The sexual misconduct allegation was first levied against the sheriff in November.

It is understood it was made by a Crown Office employee, and then reported to the police by a manager.

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Following Sheriff Brown’s suspension, a commission was set up to look into the case.

It was being presided over by Lord Bracadale, who was the senior prosecutor in the 2000 Lockerbie trial at the Scottish Court in the Netherlands.

Prior to his suspension earlier this year, Sheriff Brown had been working as a sheriff in Aberdeen.

He was appointed to the city’s sheriffdom in 2016.

After graduating from Dundee University, he trained with Dundee City Council then worked at J&J Hunter before becoming a partner at Shaw & Co.

He set up his own practice, Jack Brown & Co, in Dundee in 1996.

He was appointed as a solicitor advocate in 2003 and has been a sheriff since 2005.